I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had been searching for my grandpa’s homemade chocolate fudge recipe, and word got to one of my aunts, who said she had a copy of it.

The fudge was delicious but I’m still not convinced that it was the same one Grandpa made. For one, I don’t remember him adding in the frozen marshmallows at the end to make it a rocky road fudge, and secondly there’s something missing form the taste, not to mention they’re a little gooier than Grandpa’s were. I wish I could sit and watch him make it again like I did when I was a kid, but oh well. Here’s the recipe my aunt sent me:

Grandpa’s Rocky Road Fudge

4 c sugar
1 can evaporated milk (1 2/3 c.)
2 1/2 c miniature marshmallows
2 1/2 8 oz Hershey chocolate bars (20 oz) these are now sold in 7 oz bars, so you need three
1/2 pkg (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 sticks (1 cup) butter (no substitutes)
1 1/2 c miniature marshmallows, frozen
1 lb chopped walnuts
2 tsp vanilla

Break chocolate bars into pieces in a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate chips and sliced cubes of butter. Set a side.

In a large, heavy saucepan combine sugar, evaporated milk, and marshmallows. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When the mixture comes to a soft boil, cook for seven minutes and immediately pour over chocolate mixture. Stir until candy loses some of its shine; mix in nuts, frozen marshmallows, and vanilla. Pour into a 9×13″ and 8×8″ pans and chill for 1 1/2 hours before serving.
Can be stored for a time in the freezer. Makes about 5 lbs. of candy.

I lined both of my pans with parchment paper first, and then coated the inside of the parchment with butter, which worked well in keeping the fudge from sticking. After adding the milk, butter and sugar mixture to the chocolate in the bowl, stirring can take upwards of 20 minutes or more, so have help standing by! Despite what the recipe says, I think Grandpa may have added more chocolate than what’s called for. I might have to try that next time!

One of my fondest memories growing up was helping my grandpa make fudge. He always did it around Christmas to pass out to neighbors (and always enough for us to take some home too), but sometimes he’d surprise us by picking up the supplies for it at the store while we were staying over with him on random weekends throughout the year.

Grandpa’s been gone for many years now and though he had the recipe written down it seems to have been lost. I’ve been sent copies of what was supposedly the original, but when I’ve gone to make it they turn out awful. I remember the techniques and the ingredients, but not the amounts or times that Grandpa used.

I’ve made it kind of a mini mission to try out as many fudge recipes as I can until I find the same one or one close enough to his! I remember he used gigantic bars of plain Hershey’s chocolate, chocolate chips, walnuts, marshmallows (that got melted down), and condensed milk. I’m determined — I want my kids to try it too!

~ Fudge recipe and method
~ Alton’s Chocolate Fudge
~ Two-minute microwave fudge
~ Sugar-free Fudge
~ Scientific Fudge

[image: flickr]

Today is National Nutty Fudge Day! It’s been a while since I made fudge, and I’ve got everything in the pantry to make a batch. What I’d really like, though, is a batch of my grandpa’s fudge but, very sadly, the recipe has been lost and anything similar I’ve been able to find just hasn’t been the same.

The recipe below is a pretty basic, easy fudge recipe. Make sure you pay constant attention to the chocolate in the pan and don’t crank the heat up too high. I prefer walnuts in my fudge but pecans and chopped almonds would work really well too.

Nutty Chocolate Fudge

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with condensed milk and salt, stirring constantly, approximately five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread in a 8 x 8 x 2″ pan lined with wax paper.

Chill for 2 hours until firm. Makes 16 pieces.

[image: flickr]

Yes, fudge in the microwave, and speedy fudge at that!

Two-Minute Microwave Fudge
1 lb. powdered sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 cup cocoa
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine or butter
1/4 c. milk (any kind, even skim)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 - 1/2 c. pecans or walnuts (optional)

Mix sugar and cocoa together in a microwave safe bowl. Make a well in the center. Slice butter into the well and add milk. Microwave 2 minutes on High. Remove and stir. Add vanilla and nuts and stir. Turn into buttered pan and refrigerate.

[image: flickr]

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Yesterday was National Chocolate Fudge Day, and oddly enough I came in a day late last month with Nutty Fudge Day too!

Below is another recipe from Alton Brown. Alton rarely lets me down and this is one of only two fudge recipes that have worked for me and comes out consistently good every time I make it.

Chocolate Fudge

2 3/4 cups sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped, roasted nuts, optional

Grease an 8 by 8-inch pan with butter. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, chocolate, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter, half-and-half, and corn syrup. Over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved and chocolate is melted. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and boil for 3 minutes.

Remove the cover and attach a candy thermometer to the pot. Cook until the thermometer reads 234 degrees F. Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter. Do not stir. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes or until it drops to 130 degrees F. Add vanilla and nuts, if desired, and mix until well-blended and the shiny texture becomes matte. Pour into the prepared pan.

Let sit in cool dry area until firm. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

[image: flickr]

I totally spaced on yesterday being National Nutty Fudge Day! Did you celebrate?

Nutty Fudge

1 1/2 Sticks butter
1/3 c Evaporated milk
1/4 c Sugar
1 c Milk chocolate
1 c Semi-sweet chocolate
1 c Marshmallow cream
1 c Peanut butter chips
1/2 c Chopped peanuts

Blend butter, milk and sugar in a med. saucepan. bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 miniutes. add both chocolates and the marshmallow and blend. Let cool. Then add the peanut butter chips and peanuts. Place in a buttered and foil lined pan. Chill at least 1 hour and serve.

[image: stock.xchng]

My grandpa used to make amazing fudge when we’d go to visit, but no one can seem to find his original recipe now. This is the closest I’ve come to finding a copy:

Creamy Chocolate Fudge

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8×8 inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and pour in semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.

This is what I call a double bonus: a piece of fudge with a diamond inside!

A woman whose diamond ring vanished while she was making fudge for a bake sale was despondent after scouring her home and finding no sign of it.

The fudge containing the diamond ring was purchased at a bake sale.

But Linda Vancel recently got a sweet surprise: A relative of the woman who bought the fudge found the ring when he bit into a piece of the candy.

Of course there’s a happy ending with the ring being returned to the rightful owner. I can’t imagine how she may have lost it though - I don’t typically use my hands when I make fudge, it’s spoons and the pot and a pan. Weird.

Aaaand now I need to go make some fudge.